1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a Light Emitting Diode (LED) affixing arrangement, and more particularly to a method and arrangement for affixing a LED on a circuit board to provide a light effect on both front and rear sides of the circuit board so as to simplify the electrical and structural configuration of the circuit board incorporating with the LED.
2. Description of Related Arts
Nowadays, most decoration lighting and advertisement signs are fluorescent or neon lamps. The fluorescent lamp or the neon lamp not only gives the sharp and colored image of the advertisement sign but also provides lots of fancy for decoration. Therefore, the sign of the street number or the indication sign such as the “OPEN” sign at the entrance of the restaurant is made by the fluorescent lamp or the neon lamp.
In addition, the significant feature of such fluorescent/neon lamp is that the light effect is provided at the front side and the rear side of the signboard in such a manner that the light effect of the fluorescent/neon lamp can be seen from the front and rear sides thereof, so as to enhance the decorative purpose of the fluorescent/neon lamp.
However, such fluorescent/neon lamp has several drawbacks. The frame size of the sign must be large enough to fit the fluorescent/neon lamp having a relatively large size. In other words, the fluorescent/neon lamp cannot incorporate with a smaller frame size of the sign. In addition, each word sign formed by the fluorescent/neon tube must be custom made. Thus, since the arrays of the alphabet and/or the number of the word signs are linked with each other, when one of the alphabet or the number is broken, which is not replaceable, the fluorescent/neon lamp must be replaced.
Since a Light Emitting Diode (LED) is inexpensive and has a smaller size in comparison with the fluorescent/neon tube, most of the decoration lighting and advertisement signs are incorporated with the LED. Furthermore, the distinct features of the LED are that not only the LED requires less electricity for operation and simple installation, but also the brightness of the LED is better than the fluorescent/neon lamp.
The conventional electrical connection for the LED is that the LED is mounted on a circuit board having a circuitry printed thereon, wherein two legs of the LED are welded on the circuit board to electrically connect with the circuitry. Accordingly, the circuitry is printed on the front side of the circuit board in such a manner that when the LED is electrically connected to the circuitry, the LED can only provide a light effect at the front side of the circuit board. In order to obtain an additional light effect at the rear side of the circuit board, an additional circuitry must be printed on the rear side of the circuit board to electrically connect with an additional LED. In other words, two circuitries and two LED must be provided at the front and rear sides of the circuit board respectively for providing the light effects at two sides of the circuit board, so as to highly complicate the manufacturing process of the decoration lighting and advertisement signs.
Moreover, the legs of the LED are relatively weak such that when an external force is exerted on the LED, the legs thereof will be broken so as to electrically disconnect the LED with the circuitry. Therefore, the conventional attachment between the LED and the circuit board cannot provide a rigid construction to support the LED on the circuit board. However, the signs are generally located at the outdoors such that the LED will be accidentally damaged at such outdoor environment.
In addition, it is illogical that the light effect from the front side of the circuit is different from that of the rear side thereof to obtain different indications of the sign. Therefore, the two circuitries must be identically printed on the front and rear sides of the circuit board respectively to provide a corresponding light effect at both sides of the circuit board, so as to complicate the electric configuration of the circuit board and to increase the manufacturing cost of the decoration lighting and advertisement signs.